Air Fryer Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken
This Air Fryer Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken is crispy, juicy, and packed with all the classic Taiwanese flavors — white pepper, five-spice, garlic, and crispy Thai basil!
Taiwanese popcorn chicken, or 鹽酥雞, is one of my favorite snacks. Traditional Taiwanese popcorn chicken is deep fried until golden and extra crispy. While I LOVE it that way, deep frying is not always something I want to do at home.
Making it in an air fryer is much easier, less messy, and you still get that super crunchy coating without deep frying. Now I make this air fryer version more often at home.
Of course, I always throw in some Thai basil at the end. Those crispy basil leaves might be one of my favorite parts!
A Few Ingredient Notes
Chicken Thighs
I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this recipe. Chicken thighs stay juicy in the air fryer. Cut them into roughly 1-inch bite-size pieces so they cook evenly.
Coarse Tapioca Starch
Traditionally, Taiwanese popcorn chicken is coated with coarse sweet potato starch, which gives it that signature craggy, crunchy crust.
But coarse sweet potato starch can be a little hard to find. I could only find coarse tapioca starch, but it works so well! The larger pieces of starch create all those rough little edges on the chicken that turn extra crispy in the air fryer.
Egg White
I like adding one egg white to the chicken after marinating.
I use just the egg white because it helps create a lighter, crispier coating while keeping those craggy bits of coarse starch. Egg yolk makes the coating richer and a little heavier.
Thai Basil
Taiwanese popcorn chicken isn’t complete without Thai basil. Add it during the last couple of minutes of air frying and it gets beautifully crisp and fragrant.
White Pepper and Five-Spice
White pepper and five-spice give the chicken that classic Taiwanese flavor. A little goes a long way with five-spice, so I only use a small amount in the marinade and the final seasoning.
How to Make Air Fryer Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken
1. Marinate the Chicken: Cut 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs into roughly 1-inch bite-size pieces. Add the soy sauce, rice wine, garlic, five-spice powder, ground ginger, white pepper, and salt.
Mix everything together, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
You can also marinate the chicken overnight if you want to prep it ahead of time. I wouldn’t go much longer than 24 hours, since the texture of the chicken can start to change.
2. Add 1 egg white directly to the marinated chicken. Gently mix until all the chicken pieces are evenly coated.
3. Add the coarse tapioca starch to a shallow bowl. Coat each piece of chicken really well, gently pressing the starch onto the surface so all those coarse little pieces stick.
Don’t worry if the coating looks a little rough or uneven.
4. Spray the air fryer basket or tray with oil. Arrange the chicken in a single layer, then generously spray the tops with oil. Air fry at 375°F for 8 minutes.
5. Flip the chicken and spray again with oil. Increase the temperature to 400°F and air fry for another 6 minutes, or until the chicken is golden and crispy.
6. Add the completely dry Thai basil leaves directly to the air fryer. Spray the basil with oil and air fry everything together at 400°F for another 2 minutes.
7. Mix together the five-spice powder, salt, white pepper, and sugar. As soon as the chicken comes out of the air fryer, sprinkle over as much or as little as you like, or skip the seasoning altogether. Toss everything together and serve hot.
For reference, I use a COSORI 6-quart air fryer, and 1 lb of chicken fits in one batch.
FAQ
Do I need to preheat the air fryer?
No, I don’t preheat my air fryer for this recipe. Air fryers heat up very quickly, and I also find it much easier to arrange the chicken in a single layer when the basket is still cold.
If your air fryer normally recommends preheating, you can still do that, but the cooking time may be slightly shorter.
What can I use if I can’t find coarse tapioca starch or coarse sweet potato starch?
You can use regular tapioca starch, potato starch, or cornstarch instead. The chicken will still get crispy, but you won’t get quite the same rough, craggy crust that coarse starch gives Taiwanese popcorn chicken.
If I had to choose, I’d use regular tapioca starch or potato starch before cornstarch.
Air Fryer Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch bite-size pieces
- 1 egg white
- 1 cup coarse tapioca starch coarse sweet potato starch works too
- Oil spray
Marinade
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice wine
- 3–4 cloves garlic grated or crushed (about 1 tbsp)
- 1/4 tsp five-spice powder
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
Thai Basil
- 1 small bunch Thai basil leaves picked, washed, and thoroughly dried
Optional Seasoning Mix
- 1/4 tsp five-spice powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1/4 tsp sugar
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken: Cut 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs into roughly 1-inch bite-size pieces. Add the soy sauce, rice wine, garlic, five-spice powder, ground ginger, white pepper, and salt.Mix everything together, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Add the Egg White: Add 1 egg white directly to the marinated chicken. Gently mix until all the chicken pieces are evenly coated.
- Coat the Chicken: Add the coarse tapioca starch to a shallow bowl. Coat each piece of chicken really well, gently pressing the starch onto the surface so all those coarse little pieces stick.
- Air Fry the Chicken: Spray the air fryer basket or tray with oil. Arrange the chicken in a single layer, then generously spray the tops with oil. Air fry at 375°F for 8 minutes.
- Flip and Crisp: Flip the chicken and spray again with oil. Increase the temperature to 400°F and air fry for another 6 minutes, or until the chicken is golden and crispy.
- Add the Thai Basil: Add the completely dry Thai basil leaves directly to the air fryer. Spray the basil with oil and air fry everything together at 400°F for another 2 minutes.
- Season and Serve: Mix together the five-spice powder, salt, white pepper, and sugar. As soon as the chicken comes out of the air fryer, sprinkle over as much or as little as you like, or skip the seasoning altogether. Toss everything together and serve hot.
Notes
- You can also marinate the chicken overnight if you want to prep it ahead of time. I wouldn’t go much longer than 24 hours, since the texture of the chicken can start to change.
- Traditionally, Taiwanese popcorn chicken is made with coarse sweet potato starch. I use coarse tapioca starch because it’s what I could find, and it gives the chicken a wonderfully crunchy, craggy coating.
- Air fryers can vary, so adjust the cooking time slightly if needed. The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- For reference, I use a COSORI 6-quart air fryer, and the entire batch fits at once.
- For the crispiest results, serve the chicken immediately after air frying.
